Blu Grotto in Oceanport [NJ]

Happy (belated) Birthday!!

Thank you!!

Happy b day Jr!

Are you planning on hitting the grand tavern anytime soon? That steak looks pretty good.

Thanks buddy! Funny you mention it, I just looked at their menu they only have a steak for two. I thought they had some other steak options.

Iā€™ll try it sooner or later but on one of my vendorā€™s dime.

125 seems like a lot to me. I donā€™t mind paying for good food but Iā€™m not sold on this yet. It better be an epic cut for this price!

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Happy birthday sir. Wife and I are already planning next trip, just deciding if we should try Christineā€™s or just go back hereā€¦proximity is winningso far. But itā€™s def going to be a special occasion kind of place not a normal rotation spot.

Had a nice meal at Blu Grotto over the holiday weekend. JRā€™s description of the place is spot-on. I felt that the interior was a bit casino restaurant-like, but not in an over-the-top gaudy way. Wife and I were seated side-by-side at a two-person circular banquet ā€¦ nice romantic dining with a significant other, but maybe not so much if you are meeting a friend or business acquaintance. The circular ceiling of the main dining room is a screen of some type showing various images of clouds, shapes and famous horses. We found ourselves looking up throughout the meal. The food varied from ok to good, but nothing we ate wowed us. That said, the menu was very large and we arguably could have done a better job with our ordering as there were a bunch of things I would have liked to try. Service was spotty even though there were plenty of waitstaff/servers/runners. The best thing I ate was a starter salad of thinly sliced and shredded brussel sprouts with purple cabbage, apples and candied pecans. We also ordered a burrata which was a cold, disappointing mess. As we were finishing our appetizers our amuse of a tiny potato-like pancake with dill arrived (as noted, service issue) which was tasty. Our entrees were a spinach gnocchi in brown butter sauce for me and an alfredo linquine with crab meat for her. The handmade gnocchi were of the dense, not fluffy variety, and were good, but the accompanying brown butter sauce was a disappointment tasting more creamy than I expected. My wifeā€™s dish was overpowered by smoked bacon or some-related meat. Itā€™s possible this was listed in the menu description (the on-line menu is not the same as we received), but it was just too overpowering. Mid-way through our entrĆ©e we asked for some focaccia bread we saw was being served around us as tables were being seated (another service issue) and it was very good. We shared a very average ricotta cheesecake for dessert that we didnā€™t finish. An additional complimentary dessert plate consisting of biscotti and cookies was very good. I had an excellent draft Belgian beer with a high alcohol content (11.5%) that I canā€™t remember the name of (probably a result of having more than one). Overall, despite the few service flaws and the inconsistent food, we would return as we had a very enjoyable night out. I would re-order the brussel sprout salad, try a few other dishes and order more of the beer. Thereā€™s also a new (to me) miniature golf-course adjacent to the restaurant if thatā€™s your thing.

Sorry to hear of your mixed feelings on the place. As you said I would certainly give it another try, Iā€™m really surprised by the service issues, Iā€™ve always had adequate to good service, never an issue. As you can tell by my posts I have stuck primarily with their steaks and have never been disappointed. My wife, daughter and other guests have tried most of the menu, the squid ink is a favorite and so is the eggplant rigatoni and whatever they serve in those pots. (lol I have no idea what dish it is but both my wife and another couple got it and enjoyed it). The brussels sprout salad is also a favorite of my wife.

Side note: They have opened a beer garden on the ground floor outside. They have a separate bar and I assume betting area I have yet to go, but they were telling me about it on my last visit. Iā€™m definitely going to spend a day there watching / betting the races.

I will definitely be checking out the beer garden as well!!

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WTF??? I posted in another thread that I have been shut out of reservations twice so far this summer, once calling 4 days in advance for a reservation on a Saturday night. Now, I just called for a reservation for 7pp at 6-7pm on August 11th a Friday night. At first they accepted the reservation for 6:30, but then they called me back 5 mins later to tell me that was a mistake and their only reservation is at 9:30??? Today is July 27th and you are booked two weeks in advance? WTF???

Has anyone been here this summer? Is it really that packed?

(FYI what ever happened to NYCPA who started this thread, it looks like he only lasted a few day here, shame)

they only have about 80 seats thatā€™s why you canā€™t get a reservation for 7 on a Sat.

Well ole Scaramooch, it looks like you just got priebusted.

Iā€™m well aware of that but to be booked 2 weeks in advance? (Including the wine room which I have been seated in at least 6 Xā€™s)

I think itā€™s a vivid reminder that a) we live in an area with a huge seasonal population and b) this part of NJ is sorely in need of more GOOD restaurants!

Also, donā€™t they know who you are?!? Do you want me to call and discuss the amount of charisma you ooze and what that could do for their restaurant?!? :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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lol, well I actually told my daughter, whose birthday dinner I was trying to make the reservation for, I might have go in person and talk to someone. They donā€™t know me by name, but they do by face and charisma!!

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Maybe theyā€™re just worried youā€™ll eat all thier meat and they wonā€™t have any left for everyone else? Word travels fast around the peninsula and the legend of NotJr does as well.
In all honesty Iā€™m glad to hear they are doing well though. Good food and a liquor license is a rarity here. Throw in parking and a unique location and itā€™s no wonder. Other operators around here should take note. Hopefully we get a few more spots like this to balance out the mccloones of the world.

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Hear hear !

Yep. Discussing anything to do with ooze is the sure way to get a res.